Locking center pin for body and truck bolsters of railway cars



LOO CENTER PIN TRU BOLSTERS 0F Filed Oct. 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 Oct. 24, 1950 B. HASELTINE 2,526,745

FOR BODY AND RAILWAY CARS Oct. 24, 1950 s. B. HASELTINE 2,526,745

LOCKING CENTER FOR BODY AND TRUCK BOLSTERS RAILWAY CARS Filed Oct. 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED LOCKING CENTER PIN FOR BODY AND TRUCK BOLSTERS OF RAILWAY CARS Stacy B. Haseltine, La Grange, 111., assignor to W. H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application October 8, 1947, Serial No. 778,623

10 Claims. (01. 105-200) This invention relates to improvements in locking center pins for connecting the body and truck bolsters of railway cars.

One object of the invention is to provide a locking center pin for the body and truck bolsters of a railway car provided with pin receiving openings and annular shoulders surrounding said openings respectively, comprising a plurality of outer members having shouldered engagement at opposite ends with the shoulders :of the bolsters, and a filler element for holding (the outer members of the pin spread apart in :said shouldered engagement, wherein simple and. efficient means is provided for holding the filler ielement against removal from between the outer members.

.A more specific object of the invention is to provide a center pin as set forth in the preceding paragraph, wherein the locking means is in the form of a plug supported on shoulders on the outer members, and on which the filler element rests, the plug being displaceable to out of the way position with respect to the filler element to permit removal of the latter from between the outer members.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the body and truck bolsters of a railway car, illustrating my improved center pin in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a bottom plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the center pin shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view, on an enlarged scale,

corresponding substantially to the line 3-3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 44 of Figure 6. Figures 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views, corresponding substantially to the line 6-6 of Figure 2, Figure 5 showing the locking plug, which is in the form of a ball, displaced .to permit removal of the filler element of the pin, and Figure 6 showing the locking plug in the locking position. Figure '7 is a top plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the pin shown in Figure 1. Figure 8 is a detailed perspective view of one of the outer members of my improved center pin. Figure 9 is a detailed perspective view of the filler of the center pin. Figure 10 is a broken side elevational view of my improved center pin, illustrating another embodiment of the invention. Figure 11 is a bottom plan view of Figure 10. Figure 12 is a transverse vertical sectional bolster.

view, corresponding substantially to the line 12-!2 of Figure 11. Figure 13 is a transverse vertical sectional view of one of the outer members of the pin, showing the locking plug, which is in the form of a wedge-shaped block, in the laterally displaced position which permits removal of the filler element.

In said drawings, referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 9 inclusive, 10 indicates the body bolster of a a railway car, and I I the truck bolster. Thebody and truck bolsters l0 and II are of well-known design, the body bolster including the usual center section 52 adapted to receive the center pin. The section I2 is of cylindrical tubular form and protrudes beyond the bottom of the body bolster. The upper end of the section 12 presents an annular shoulder or seat on which the head at the upper end of the center pin is adapted to rest. The truck bolster H has the usual downwardly opening pocket 13 adapted to accommodate the head at the lower end of the center pin, and is provided with a pin receiving opening I4 communicating with said pocket and in vertical alignment with the pin receiving opening provided by the center section l2 of the body bolster. The wall surrounding the opening I 4 provides a downwardly facing shoulder with which the head at the lower end of the center pin is engageable to limit upward displacement of the pin with respect to the truck The bolsters l0 and II have the usual bearing plates l5 and IS interposed therebetween.

My improved center pin, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 9 inclusive, comprises broadly three outer members AA-A, a filler element B, and a plug C in the form of a ball.

The outer members A, which are three in number, are arranged symmetrically about the central vertical axis of the pin. Each member A is of sector-shaped cross section, having laterally diverging, inner faces ll-il, and a curved outer face [8. At the top and bottom ends, each member A is provided with relatively heavy.

laterally outwardly projecting, horizontal flanges I9 and 20, which form top and bottom head portions. The three members AAA of the pin are identical and, when assembled, define a sectional, cylindrical pin having a shank of circular cross section and heads at opposite ends. The top flange 19 of each outer member is cocentric to the cylindrical outer face i8 of said member, as shown in Figure '7, being of such a size that it will readily pass through the pin receiving openings of the truck and body bolsters when the filler element B is absent and the sec tions of the pin formed by the members A-AA are in contracted condition. The bottom flanges 2U2!l-2ll of the three outer members are concentric with the cylindrical shank of the pin and form head members which are adapted to overlap the shoulders surrounding the opening Id of the truck bolster.

The bottom flange or head 28 of each outer member A is provided with an opening or guide way 2! therethrough, the same being inclined downwardly in inward direction. The bottom wall of the guideway 2| at the inner end portion of the latter is recessed to provide a concave seat portion 22 for the corresponding side of the ball-shaped plug C. At the outer end portion of the guideway 2|, the bottom wall is slotted, as indicated at 23, to render theballshaped plug accessible for manipulation'and re moval.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that the seats 222222 of the heads at the lower ends of the outer members AAA present three circumferentially spaced supports for the balllike plug, which supports are spaced outwardly away from the central vertical axis of the pin, thereby providing an opening between the same, giving access to the ball-shaped plug for manipulation.

The filler element B comprises three platelike wing 24242d, radial to the central longitudinal axis of the Pin. The wings 24-2 l--2d are spaced equal distances apart and merge at the center ,of the pin to form a central shank portion 25'. ment are of such a thickness as to fill the spaces between the outer members to form, with. said outer members, a complete pin of true cylindrical form. At the lower end portion thereof, each wing is laterally enlarged to provide a pro-- J'ecting lug-like portion 26 forming a head adapted to limit upward displacement of the filler element by shouldered engagement with the shoulder at the opening 14 of the truck bolster. The lugs 2B-2fi-26 of the filler e1ement are of lesser thickness than the bottom flanges of the outer members of the pin, whereby the filler element may be forced upwardly to a suflicient extent with respect to the outer members so that the locking plug may be moved to unlocked position. Below the lugs 26-'l6-2G, the element Bis provided with a central pocket 21 with which the guideways 2i2l2! of the members A communicate. The pocket 2? is elongated vertically and has the top'wall thereof cut out to present a downwardly facing, concave seat 28, adapted to engage over the top of the ball-shaped plug C.

In the assembled and applied condition of the pin, the ball 0 is supported on the seats 22"2222 of the outer members of the pin and the filler element B rests on the ball, the upper portion of the latter being engaged in the seat 28.- As will be evident, the filler element of the pin is thus effectively held against removal in downward direction from between the outer members.

In applying the center pin illustrated in Figures 1 to 9 inclusive to the bolsters, the three outer members AAA are assembled with the bolsters by first inserting two of the same in the pin receiving openings and spreading the same apart, to bring the heads thereof in' shouldered engagement with the bolsters, and then insert- The platelike wings of the filler elei ing the third outer member between the two members first applied and displacing said third outer member radially outwardly to bring the heads thereof into shouldered engagement with the bolsters, the ball C having been placed within the guideway 2| of said third outer member before the latter is inserted in the bolster openings. During application 'of this third member, while the same is being inserted between the other two members, the ball C is manually held in the guideway 2| to clear the inner sides of the lower end portions of said two members, being retained in approximately the position shown in Figure 5 until it has passed the seat portions of said members, whereupon it will roll to the position shown in Figure 6 and rest on the three seats 222222 of the members A-A-A. After the outer members have been thus positioned within the bolster openings, the filler element 13 is applied by inserting the same in upward direction between the outer members A'AA, engaging the wings 2 l-24-24 thereof in the spaces between said outer members. As the filler element is pushed upwardly, it crowds/the ball Cto one side into the guideway 2! of one of the members A, being displaced to approximately the'position shown in Figure 5. The filler element is pushed upwardly or lifted a sufiicient distance to permit the ball C to roll or drop into the pocket 2'! and seat on the seats 2222'22 of the outer members. After the ball has been th'us'seated, the filler element i dropped to engag'ethe top of the'ball, as shown in Figure GQ'Ihe' ball C in its interposed position between the seats 22-22'22 of the outer members and the bottom portion of the filler element effectively blocks removal of the filler element in downward direction.

To remove the pin from the bolsters, substantially the reverse procedure is followed, the filler element B being first pushed upwardly from the positionshown in Figure 6 to that shown in Figure thus unseating the ball C andregistering the openings of the pocket, 2'! with the openings of the guideways 2i2l2l.

The ball C is then pushed laterall intothe guideway of any one of said outer members to clear the follower element, whereupon the latter may be removed to permit'collapse and removal of the outer members A--AA of the'pin;

Referring next to the embodimentof the invention illustrated in Figures 10,11, 12 and 13, the construction is similar to'that 'hereinbefore described; with the exception that the plug, which is indicated by D, is in" the form of a wedge and the guide openingsof'the'outer members are modified to cooperate therewith.

Thepin" illustrated' i'n these figures includes three outer"mmber'sEE -E, identical with the outer members A A- A} with the exception that the guideways- 12f forfthe wedge plug' D are shaped to guide the plug", which is in the form of a six-sided wedgaand that the'lower endportions of the lower hadsflof the pin, which heads are indicated'by "i'2fl'l2D-'l 20, are' preferably grooved; as indicated by I29, to" receive a U- shaped spring clip I30, to yieldingly hold the outer members E-'E E in place'a-nd serve as an additional safety devices'imilar to a cotter pin, the clip being engaged about two'of-the outer members EE and having its arms I33} which are curved outwardly at their ends, engaged through and seated in an opening 34 in the filler element F. The filler element F of thispin is similar to the filler element B hereinbefore described with the exception that the pocket I21 thereof, which receives the plug D, is shaped to accommodate this particular plug. The top wall of the pocket i2! is substantially flat, as indicated at I3], to seat squarely on the flat top surface I32 of the plug. The plug D is applied and removed in substantially the same manner as the plug C and supports the filler element F against downward displacement by having its wedge faces seated on the inner ends of the bottom walls of the guideways l2I-l2I--l2l.

Iclaim:

1. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having aligned center pin receiving openings; of a center pin insertable from beneath said truck bolster, said pin including a plurality of outer members headed at opposite ends; a filler element interposed between said outer members, said filler element holding the heads of the outer members in shouldered engagement with the bolsters; supporting shoulders on said outer members; and a locking plug supported on said shoulders, said plug supporting the filler element, said outer members being recessed above said shoulders to accommodate said plug for lateral displacement clear of said filler element, said plug, when lifted off of said shoulders, being laterally displaceable into one of said outer members to permit removal of said filler element in a downward direction.

2. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having aligned center pin receiving openings; of a center pin insertable from beneath the truck bolster, said pin including a plurality of outer members headed at opposite ends; a filler element interposed between said outer members, said filler element holding the heads of the outer members in houldered engagement with the bolsters, said outer members having radial guide openings therein, and depressed supporting shoulders at the inner ends 01. said openings; and a locking plug supporting said filler element against downward displacement, said plug being supported on said shoull ders of the guideways, said plug, when lifted above said shoulders, being laterally displaceable into the guideway of one of said outer members clear of said filler element to permit withdrawal of the latter in a downward direction from between the outer members.

3. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having aligned center pin receiving openings; of a center pin insertable from beneath said truck bolster, said pin including a plurality of outer members headed at the top and bottom ends, a radial guideway in the lower head of each outer member, said guideway being inclined downwardly in inward direction and open at its inner end; a depressed seat at the inner end of each guideway; a filler element interposed between said outer members, said filler element holding the heads of the outer members in shouldered engagement with the bolsters, said filler element having a portion thereof depending between the seats of the outer members, said depending portion having a pocket communicating with the inner ends of the guideways of said outer members; and a locking plug supported on the seats of said outer members, said filler element being normally supported on top of said plug and partly closing the open inner ends of said guideways, said filler element being upwardly displaceable with said plug when lifted to register the pocket of said element with the open inner ends of said guideways, said plug being disengageable from said seats for lateral displacement into the guideway of one of said outer members clear of the filler element to permit removal of the latter in a downward direction, when said filler element is elevated to position the pocket thereof in registration with the open inner ends of the guideways of said outer members.

4. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having aligned center pin receiving openings; of a center pin insertable from beneath said truck bolster, said pin including a plurality of outer members headed at oppo site ends; a filler element interposed between said outer members, said filler element holding the heads of the outer members in shouldered engagement with the bolsters; supporting shoulders on said outer members; and a locking ball sup-- ported on said shoulders, said ball supporting the filler element, said outer members being recessed to accommodate said ball for lateral displacement clear of said filler element to permit removal of the filler element in a downward direction, said shoulders being depressed with respect to said recesses.

5. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having aligned center pin receiving openings; of a center pin insertable from beneath the truck bolster, said pin including a plurality of outer members headed at opposite ends; a filler element interposed between said outer members, said filler element holding the heads of the outer members in shouldered engagement with the bolsters, said outer members having radial guide openings therein, and depressed supporting shoulders at the inner ends of said openings; and a locking ball supporting said filler element against downward displacement, said ball being supported on said shoulders of the guideways, said ball when lifted from said shoulders being laterally displaceable into the guideway of one of said outer members clear of said filler element to permit withdrawal of said filler element in a downward direction from between the outer members.

6. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having aligned center pin receiving openings; of a center pin insertable from beneath said truck bolster, said pin including, a plurality of outer members headed at the top and bottom ends, a radial guideway in the lower head of each outer member, said guideway being inclined downwardly in inward direction; a depressed seat at the inner end of each guideway; a filler element interposed between said outer members, said filler element holding the heads of the outer members in shouldered engagement with the bolsters, said filler element having a portion thereof depending between the seats of the outer members, said depending portion having a pocket communicating with the guideways of said outer members, said pocket being normally in non registering relation with said guideways and being registered with said guideways when the filler element is lifted to a predetermined extent from said normal position; and a locking ball supported on the seats of said outer members, said filler element in its normal position being supported on top of said ball, said filler element being upwardly displaceable with said ball when lifted, the guideway of any one of said outer members accommodating the ball for lateral displacement clear of the filler element, said ball being laterally displaceable into any one of said guideways when lifted out of saidseats into =alignmentwith said guideways, and when said-filler element has been lifted to saidpredetermined extent. A

7. 1m car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having aligned center pin receiving openingsyof a center pin insertable from beneath said truck bolster, said pin includ ing a plurality of outer members headed at op posite ends;- a filler element interposed between said outermembers, said filler element holding the heads-of the outer members in shouldered engagement with the-bolsters; supporting-shouL ders on said outer members; and a locking wedge block supported on said shoulders, said wedge block supporting the filler element, said outer members being recessed above said shoulder to accommodate-said wedge'block for lateral displacement clear of said filler element, said block, when lifted oif of said shoulders into alignment with said recessed portions of said outer members being displaceable into the recess of one of said outer members to provide clearance for removal of said element in a downward direction.

8. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having aligned'center pin receiving openings; of-a center pin insertable from beneath the truckbolster, said pin including a plurality of outer members headed at opposite ends; a filler-element interposed between said outer members, said filler element holding the heads of the outer members in shouldered engagement with the bolsters, said outer members having radial guide open-ings therein; and de-' pressed supporting shoulders at-the inner ends of said openings; and a locking wedge block supporting said filler element against downward displace-' ment said-wedge block-being normally supported on- 'said shouldersof the guide openings; saidwedge-block, when liftedbffof said shoulders into alignment -witlr said guide openings being laterally displaceable into the guide opening of any-one of'saidoutermembers clear of said filler element to -permit withdrawal of said filler ele--' ing a plurality of outer members headed at thetop and bottom ends -a radial guide-way in the' lowerhead of each' outer member, said guidewaybeing inclined downwardly in inward direction;-

a depressed seat at the inner end of each guideway;"'a filler" element interposed betweensaid outer members; said-filler element holding'the heads of the outerme'mbersin shouldered engagement with the bolsters, said filler element having a portion thereof depending between the seats of the outer members, said depending portion having a pocketcommunicating with the guidewaysof said outer members and alignable therewith when the filler element is displaced upwardl'y'to-a predetermined extent; and a locking wedge block normally supported on the seats of said outer members with the filler element supported ontop of said Wedge block, said wedge block being'laterally'displaceable into the guideway of one of said outer members to clear the filler element for removal in a downward directionwhen said block is lifted oil of said seats to upwardly displace said filler element to said predetermined extent.

10.In carconstruction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having aligned center pin receiving openings; of a center pin insertable from'beneath said truck bolster, said in including a plurality of outer members headed at opposite ends; a filler element having Wings extending between said outer members, said filler element holding the heads of the outer members in shouldered engagement with the bolsters, said filler element having a depending portion extending between said outer members, and a pocket in said depending portion, said outer members having radial guideways disposed about said depending portion of said filler element, said guideways communicating with said pocket, each guideway having a depressed seat at the inner end thereof; and a locking plug within said pocket of the filler element, said plug normallyresting on said seats and supporting said filler element against downward displacement, said plug being laterally displaceable from said pocket into one of said guideways to clear the filler element for removal in a downward direction when said plug is lifted out of said depressed seats.

STACY B. HASELTINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 952,053 Tarelton Mar. 15, 1910 1,530,761 Dath Mar. 24, 1925 2,236,596 Haseltine Apr. 1, 1941 

